Human first 3D printing rocket launch costs less than SpaceX 1/20. On May 25, Rocket Lab, the rocket company, successfully launched the
first 3D-printed rocket Electron into space. This new rocket company
from New Zealand built a launch site in the east of New Zealand's North
Island, and it became the first rocket to be successfully launched at a
private launch site.

Human first 3D printing rocket launch costs less than SpaceX 1/20

On May 25, Rocket Lab, the rocket company, successfully launched the first 3D-printed rocket Electron into space. This new rocket company from New Zealand built a launch site in the east of New Zealand's North Island, and it became the first rocket to be successfully launched at a private launch site. But the launch mission did not bring the rocket to the exact track, it was only successfully launched into space. The company is checking the cause. The launch is the focus of the Rocket Lab rocket Electron Rutherford engine used by the main components from the 3D printing (using the technology is electron beam melting), thrust about 5000 pounds, so it has enough power to send a small satellite To 300-500 km of near-Earth orbit.Electron's little head, full length of 17 meters, the diameter of about 1 meter, the main rocket main material using carbon fiber, than a BMW Mini Cooper even lighter. But the launch speed of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour.

As a small rocket, Rocket Lab weighs only 150 kg, and its launch costs can be compressed to about $ 5 million. Next, the company plans to increase the rocket load to 225 kg. In contrast, the private commercial rocket company Spacex's Falcon 9 rocket fired a cost of almost $ 90 million, and its main target is also a larger rocket launch project, carrying about 2.28 million kilograms. However, the Rocket Lab and the early Spacex Falcon One test rocket is actually not far off, when the Falcon 1 is expected to low load of 670 kg, and finally completed only 180 kg. Rocket Lab flagship small rocket city founder Peter Beck said that many people call them the space community Uber, because the single launch cost is low, Rocket Lab weekly can provide small private satellite launch service, one year plan to launch At least 50 times.Rocket Lab is a New Zealand company, but most of the gold behind it from the United States, including the US arms manufacturers Lockheed Martin Kholsa Ventures and Beesemer Venture and so on. The New Zealand government will also invest about 15 million New Zealand dollars (about 72.3 million yuan) The launch was scheduled to be completed three days ago, and finally due to weather reasons. Beck said the company will conduct three rocket tests, after the success of the company will begin to provide customers with commercial satellite launch services. At present, their customers already have NASA, small satellite company Planet and Spire, and participated in the Google Lunar XPrize contest, hoping to use the Electron Rocket to the moon probe starter star company Moon Express. And Rocket Lab to provide similar services to the company and the United States of America Vector Space (vector space), they are expected to be completed this year, the commercialization of small satellites. These companies use low-cost satellite launch services to help these enterprises solve the needs of launching small satellites, they no longer need to work with other companies "fight single", waiting for the opportunity to carry large rockets together. Rocket Lab founder Beck also saw the benefits of small satellites to the space environment. "The satellites we launched will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere five-7 years later, which prevents the accumulation of space debris." After entering the Earth's atmosphere, These small satellites will self-burn.